Modern smartphones are becoming increasingly faster at downloading. As a result, having a car charger has become essential for frequent travelers or those who rely on expensive apps like maps and navigators while on the go.
Many models also allow you to charge multiple mobile devices simultaneously thanks to the presence of multiple USB ports, each connectable to the cable of your mobile phone or tablet.
Right below we had listed out the best USB car chargers for you.
Everything You Need to Know About Car Chargers
Anyone who owns a vehicle perhaps stopped for a long time knows that the time will come when they need to recharge the battery will arise.
But such a problem can also occur out of the blue when one least expects it because maybe the night before he left the car with the lights on. Situations like these suggest that you have a good car charger.
Number of Sockets
Car chargers are very simple to use objects; in fact, just connect them to the cigarette lighter socket via the plug to be able to charge the desired devices immediately.
One of the substantial differences between the various models lies in the number of outlets available. The most common ones have a single USB socket which could be more than enough for those who have a single smartphone and want to charge it or keep it connected to use the navigator.
If, on the other hand, you want to take a long trip with friends, then it is more advisable to buy a car charger with multiple outputs, so you can charge multiple devices at the same time, but be careful, it may not be possible to recharge two tablets at a time.
The price doesn’t change much; you just have to be a little careful about the size since some power strips are really big and should be inserted in the cupholder.
Compatibility
There should be no problems but better always check if the purchased charger is compatible with your devices. Chargers can only be found for Apple or Samsung that only work with certain types of devices.
Usually, the manufacturer provides an accurate compatibility list on the product sheet that we recommend reading carefully in order not to make a wrong purchase.
If you choose a charger with Quick Charge function, you will have to check that the device to be charged supports that function. Otherwise, you will not be able to use it.
The Quick Charge has a higher charging speed which can be very useful if you travel a lot by car on short routes for work and you must always keep the phone active.
Safety
Car chargers can be potentially harmful to your devices unless they have a good internal security system. We recommend that you only purchase products that have good overcharge or overcurrent protection so that you can charge your smartphones or tablets without risking the battery melting.
This is not only true for charging, but also and above all if you keep the phone attached to the socket to listen to music or use the navigator.
Some chargers automatically recognize the connected device, giving it the right charge and further avoiding overload problems. Furthermore, an unsafe device could also create voltage drops to the vehicle battery, especially when it is stationary.
Fortunately, modern loaders today, not only those of the best brand on the market, should have these safety systems, so in general, you can be on the safe side.
How to Use a Car Charger?
How Does It Work?
These devices use the electricity produced by the vehicle’s battery, usually through the cigarette lighter socket or a special 12-volt output located on the dashboard. Once the transformer has been inserted, just connect the cable to your mobile device to start charging.
Thanks to the convenience of these accessories, it is possible to recharge any device, Android, Apple or Windows in the car, thus increasing their autonomy.
However, it is necessary to inform users that these chargers often suffer greatly from voltage surges, so turning on and off the car without disconnecting them from the outlet could damage or break them.
Power
To choose the best car charger, you need to evaluate different specifications. One of the parameters, in our fundamental opinion, is the amperage that indicates the power of the device and, in other words, its charging capacity.
The cheaper models have a very low amperage, which is usually 0.5 Ampere, which translates into much longer charging times. Keeping in mind, then, that smartphones and tablets have limits on energy absorption, the average to refer to is between 1 and 2.4 Amps.
Also, thanks to modern innovations, Quick Charge 3.0 technology has been introduced, capable of bringing the intensity of the current up to 3 Ampere.
Thus further halving the charging times without running the risk of damaging the connected device; or, again, the brand new AIPower technology that can automatically recognize your device giving it energy with the maximum capacity it can manage.
Connector
Each electronic device was once equipped with its charger, but today the common standard is the Micro USB connector which is normally the same for all models. However, some small differences continue to persist.
In fact, in addition to the Micro USB standard, compatible with most mobile devices on the market, some chargers support Lightning connectivity for iOS devices.
Furthermore, before proceeding with the purchase, you must carefully evaluate what you want to load. If a device requires more energy, as in the case of tablets or laptops, it is necessary to consider the output value, i.e. the voltage and current parameters supplied by the charger.
All USB connections usually supply 5 volts of power, so to understand if the model you are about to purchase is the one suitable for your device, just check the value shown on the battery, which usually oscillates between 3.2 and 3.8 volts.
Accessories
On the market, there are models with different shapes and attachments, which are well suited to any type of situation.
The simpler and cheaper chargers have a single USB port while others are equipped with multiple connections, useful if you travel in the company or if for work reasons you use multiple mobile devices at the same time.
Finally, before choosing the product that best suits your needs, also consider the accessories included in the package; often, in fact, only the charger to be connected to the cigarette lighter socket is sold.
While in other cases one or more charging cables are also included, much more practical if you want to avoid carrying your mobile device with you at all times.